was simple and effective. Therefore
those seated in the Nome King's cavern were both startled and amazed
when all the people of Oogaboo suddenly disappeared from the room, and
with them the Rose Princess. At first they could not understand it at
all; but presently Shaggy suspected the truth, and believing that Ozma
was now taking an interest in the party he drew from his pocket a tiny
instrument which he placed against his ear.

Ozma, observing this action in her Magic Picture, at once caught up a
similar instrument from a table beside her and held it to her own ear.
The two instruments recorded the same delicate vibrations of sound and
formed a wireless telephone, an invention of the Wizard. Those
separated by any distance were thus enabled to converse together with
perfect ease and without any wire connection.

"Do you hear me, Shaggy Man?" asked Ozma.

"Yes, Your Highness," he replied.

"I have sent the people of Oogaboo back to their own little valley,"
announced the Ruler of Oz; "so do not worry over their disappearance."

"That was very kind of you," said Shaggy. "But Your Highness must
permit me to report that my own mission here is now ended. I have found
my lost brother, and he is now beside me, freed from the enchantment of
ugliness which Ruggedo cast upon him. Tik-Tok has served me and my
comrades faithfully, as you requested him to do, and I hope you will
now transport the Clockwork Man back to your fairyland of Oz."

"I will do that," replied Ozma. "But how about yourself, Shaggy?"

"I have been very happy in Oz," he said, "but my duty to others forces
me to exile myself from that delightful land. I must take care of my
new-found brother, for one thing, and I have a new comrade in a dear
little girl named Betsy Bobbin, who has no home to go to, and no other
friends but me and a small donkey named Hank. I have promised Betsy
never to desert her as long as she needs a friend, and so I must give
up the delights of the Land of Oz forever."

He said this with a sigh of regret, and Ozma made no reply but laid the
tiny instrument on her table, thus cutting off all further
communication with the Shaggy Man. But the lovely Ruler of Oz still
watched her magic picture, with a thoughtful expression upon her face,
and the little Wizard of Oz watched Ozma and smiled softly to himself.

In the cavern of the Nome King Shaggy replaced the wireless telephone
in his pocket and turning to Betsy said in as cheerful a